Washing apparatus



Sept. 30, 1941. F. A. WALKER 21,257,436

v WASHING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 27, 1 57 r 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1.

Invehtor: Forrest Walker,

p 1941- F. A. WALKER 2,257,436

WASHING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 27, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig.5.

ITlVehLOT: Forrest, A Walker,

b f? 411% H Himtorney- Sept. 30, 1941. F. A. WALKER WASHING APPARATUSFiled Aug. 27, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig.4.

Inventor; Forrest, AWalker, y 1 2mg His ladl ttor ne g Patented Sept.30, 1941 A WASHING APPARATUS Forrest A. Walker, Oak Park, 111., minor toEdison General Electric Appliance Company, Inc., Chicago, 111., acorporation of New York Application August 27, 1937, Serial No. 161,257

Thlslnvention relates to washing apparatus, more particularly todlshwashing apparatus, and lt'has for its object the provision of animproved device of this character.

This invention is especially applicable to dishwashers having a frontopening providing for the insertion and removal of dishes from thewashing vat or chamber, and it contemplates the provision of an improvedvat structure including means for sealing the front opening when thedoor of the apparatus is closed. In addition it contemplates theprovision of improved water circulating and distributing means in thewashing vat.

In accordance with this invention in one form thereof, the front door isprovided with a flange which extends into the vat when the door isclosed adjacent the side and top walls of the vat. The portion of theflange nearest the door is fitted relatively close to these walls,whereas the inner portion of the flange remote from the door ispositioned a greater distance from these walls. The inner edge of thisinner portion is received in a recess provided for it on the side andtop walls of the vat, and the parts are so arranged that the innerportion of the flange cooperates with the side and top walls of .the vatto define an expansion chamber extending along the sides and top of thedoor. Theair and water spray tending to escape from the vat through thefront opening enter this expansion chamber where the pressure isrelieved sufficiently to prevent leakage past the door.

Arranged within the vat is a suitable water circulating impeller havingblades arranged to engage the water in the vat and circulate it upwardlyand outwardly in the vat; Positioned above the impeller is a suitabledisc-like supporting member which carries a plurality ofwater-distributing blades,v to engage the water in its upward andoutward movement to deflect it in predetermined directions so as toobtain an improved water distribution.

For a more complete understanding of this invention, reference should behad to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a vertical frontelevation of dishwashing apparatus embodying this invention, parts beingbroken away and parts shown in section so as to illustrate certaindetails of construction; Fig. 2 is a vertical central sectional viewtaken through the washing apparatus of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlargedsectional view taken through the line 3-3 01 Fig. 2 and looking in thedirection of the arrows; Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical elevation 3Claims. .(Cl. 220-46) taken through the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 and lookingin the direction of the arrows, and illustrating the liquid circulatingmeans used in the washing apparatus of Figs. 1 to 3; Fig. 5 is anenlarged fragmentary plan view of a portion of the washing apparatus ofFigs]. 1 and 2 with parts removed so as to illustrate certain details ofconstruction; and Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of a modified form ofpart of the apparatus, a part of the figure being shown in section.

Referring to the drawings, this invention has been shown in one form asapplied to a frontopening dishwasher having a cabinet I0 of rectangularform. As shown, this cabinet has side walls II and I2 and a top wall [3.Upper and lower wall panels l3a and I3!) are provided at the front. Atthe bottom, the cabinet is supported on a base M. The rear of thecabinet in the main is open but has its central area closed by means ofa baffle or panel i5.

Mounted within the cabinet is a vat IS. The

vat l6 also is substantially rectangular having side walls I] and I8, arear wall IS, a top wall 20 and a bottom wall 2|.

the corresponding side walls H and I2 of the cabinet, as shown in Figs.1 and 5, while the remaining walls of the vat are spaced a considerabledistance from the corresponding walls of the cabinet.

Mounted within the spaces between the side walls of the vat and cabinetare supporting brackets 22 secured to the side walls of the cabinet inany suitable manner, as by welding. These trolled by means of a drainvalve 25, the operation of which between its closed and opened positionsis controlled by a lever 26. When the lever I 26 occupies its positionshown in Fig. l, the drain valve is open. The lever is held in thisposition by a cable 21 which is tensioned by a spring 28. The cable 21extends upwardly in the cabinet to a control knob 29 which operates thecable through suitable mechanism (not shown) to tension it to hold thevalve open and to release the The side walls l1 and ill of the vat arepositioned relatively close to cable to permit the drain valve to close,when desired.

Cleansing liquid, such as hot water, is supplied to thevat through asuitable supply conduit 30 which is controlled by a manually operablevalve 300, and an automatic valve 3| which is of the self-closing typeand which is opened by means of a control rod 32 operated by a controlknob 33 through suitable mechanism (not shown). The valve 3| isconnected with the vat by means of a conduit 34 which extends upwardlyand across the top wall of the vat to substantially it central partwhere it communicates with the, interior of the vat through a suitablespray nozzle 35.

Positioned within the downwardly tapered bottom wall 2| is a suitablewater circulating impeller 36 having an apron-like supporting member 31carrying upon its exterior surface a plurality of water engaging andcirculating blades 38. Extending upwardly through the drain valve andinto the apron 31 is a shaft 39 driven by an electric motor 40 supportedbelow the bottom wall of the vat. The apron 31, as shown, tapersupwardly and inwardly to a section 4| of smaller diameter which extendsabove the upper edge of the liquid circulating blades 38. It will beunderstood that the impeller blades when rotated are arranged to engagethe water that is supplied to the vat so as to project it upwardly andoutwardly in a whirling mass.

Positioned in the va't above the impeller is a suitable open-work dishand utensil supporting tray 42 which may have any suitable construction,but preferably will be substantially of the same arrangement as is thelower rack described and claimed in my United States Patent No.2,035,625, dated March 31, 1936.

Positioned above the impeller is a water distributing member 43 whichcomprises a plate or disc-shaped member 44 supported 'over the impeller,as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Integral with the disc member 44 area plurality of van'es or blades 45 extending outwardly and downwardlyfrom the disc tangentially to a circle slightly larger than the upperportion 4| oi the apron 31 as shown in Fig. 3, and spaced at intervalscircumferentially of the disc. These vanes are vertically positioned,and they extend outwardly over the impeller blades 38 so that the waterhurled upwardly and outwardly by these blades engages the-vanes 45 whichredistributes the water by sending a portion of it more direct- 1yupwardly in the vat than does the impeller itself. The purpose of thedistributing vanes 45 is to cause the whirling mass of water to bespread substantially uniformly over the area of the dish-supportingtray'42.

Straddling the impeller is a U-shaped supporting bracket 46 having thelower ends of its legs supported in standards 41 that are secured in thebottom wall 2|. For this purpose, the standards 41 are mounted upon asuitable ring-shaped member 48 that surrounds the drain valve 25, thestandards seating on the ring and being secured thereto by screwfastening means 49. The disc member 44 is secured to the bracket 48 bymeans of screw-fastening means 50.

Positioned over the drain valve is a stationary straining screen Asshown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the vat I6 is open at the front and the outeredges of the vertical side and top walls of the vat surrounding thefront opening are flanged outwardly and thence turned back uponthemselves, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3; these outwardly extendingflanges define a marginal flange 52 about the sides and top of theopening. The cabinet II at the front is provided with an opening 53between the upper and lower panels Ila and [lb and opposite the frontopening in the vat. The opening 53 is closed by a door 54 which ishinged at its loweredge to swing on a horizontal axis outwardly at thetop to a horizontal open position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. Thedoor is provided with hinge arms 55 which are pivotally mounted on hingebrackets 56. The arms 55 extend'below the pivotal point of suspension ofthe door and at their lower ends are pivotally connected to links 56awhich, in turn, are pivotally connected to links 56b. The links 56b arearranged to move on fixed pivotal supports 55c. Tension springs 5611 areprovided having one end connected to the links 56a between the ends ofthe links, preferably of! their center toward the connection of thelinks with the links 56b, and their other ends anchored to fixed pins55c. When the door is opened, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, thelinks are moved to their dotted line positions which tensions thesprings to counter-balance the weight of the door. Stops 56f areprovided on the hinge brackets 56 to engage the arms 55 to limit theopening movement of the door.

As shown, when the door is closed the side i and top marginal edges ofthe door substantially abut the marginal flange 52. Preferably, the doorwill be of the construction described and claimed in the copendingapplication of F. A. Walker and E. S. Stoddard, S. N. 161,258, filedAugust 27, 1937, assigned to the same assignee as this invention, andwhich has matured into Patent No. 2,157,943, dated May 9, 1939. As theredescribed in detail, the door is provided with outer and inner panels 51and 58 (Fig. 3) which are mounted upon a suitable structural supportingframework 59. A handle 59a is provided for the door.

In accordance with this invention, the door is provided with an inwardlyextending flange 60 which preferably will be formed integrally with theinner panel 58, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The flange 60 when the dooris closed extends for a material distance into the vat, as shown inFigs. 2 and 3, and it also extends along the vertical side and top edgesof the door. The flange is divided into two portions 60a and 60b spacedat difierent distances from the associated walls of the vat, and joinedtogether by a shoulder 500. The outer portion 60a is adjacent the doorand is fitted relatively closely to the corresponding side and top wallsof the vat, while the inner portion 60b of the flange is spaced 9.greater distance from them. The inner edge of the inner portion 60b isreceived in a channel-like recess 61 which is defined by Z-shaped bars62 secured to the side and top walls of the vat; as

' shown, one leg of the Z-bar is rigidly secured to the associated wallof the vat in any suitable manner, as by bolts 62a, while the oppositeleg is positioned to overlap the inner edge of the associated flangeportion 60b. In the specific example shown, a soft rubber sealing member63 extends through the length of the recess and is fitted to the outerand bottom walls thereof, as shown in Fig. 3, so as to be engaged by theinner edge of the flange portion 60b when the door is closed. Thissealing .member 53, however, is not necessary. If it is not used,however, the walls of the channel 62 should fit the flange portion 50bfairly closely.

It will be observed in view of the foregoing arrangement that when thedoor 84 is closed, the inner flange portion 60b, the portions of theside and top walls of the Vet opposite it, the channel member 62 and theshoulder lie between the two flange portions 60c and "I: define an openchamber 64 extending along the sides and top of the door. Thisconstitutes an expansion or pressure relief chamber and may aptly betermed a dead air space. It will be understood that in the operation ofthe device, when water is being supplied to the vat, and particularlywhen it is being supplied to the vat whllethe impeller 36 is operating,a pressure is built up in the vat which tends to force the air and waterspray out through the front of the apparatus. The water spray and airthus forced forwardly passes the inner end of the flange portion 60b andenters the enlarged chamber 64 where the pressure is immediatelyreleased. When the pressure is released, the water contained in the airflows down through the chamber 64 and drops into the vat at the bottom.

Leakage is prevented at the bottom edge of the door by means of a lip 55(Figs. 2 and 3) formed on the bottom wall II of the vat and extendingacross the lower edge of the front opening. This lip is inclineddownwardly somewhat as shown in Fig. 2. The door at the bottom isprovided with a similar lip 86 which is curved inwardly and downwardlyof the vat, as shown in-Figs. 2 and 3. This lip 66 extends down over thelip 65 and is relatively elongated so that irrespective of the positionof the door between its fully opened and fully closed positions, it willoverlie at least a part of the lip 65. Also carried by the bottom of thedoor is a sealing member 61 shown as a hairpin-shaped spring memberhaving one leg secured to the under side of the doorand its other legarranged to substantially engage the top surface of the lip 65 when thedoor is closed. This effects an effective seal at the bottom of thedoor.

In Fig. 6 there is shown a modified form of door seal at the bottom. Asshown in this form, there is located between the inturned lip 650 on theval; and the lip 66a on the door, a flat flexible rubber strip 61a. Thisis bolted to the lip 65a, as shown, and is arranged to yieldingly engagethe lips 66a when the door is closed to seal the door.

The means of the first form of the invention for preventing leakage atthe bottom of the door comprising the lip 65 on the vat, the lip 68 on.

the door, and the sealing member 61 secured to the lip 66, and thecorresponding means of the second form of the invention comprising thelip Bid on the vat,the lip 66a on the door and the flexible rubber stripGIaon the lip 65a are described and claimed in my copending applica--tion, Serial No. 383,076, filed March 13, 1941, which is a division ofthis application.

The tray 42 is mounted upon suitable brackets door is closed. Foodparticles that collect on the door are washed off and directeddownwardlyinto the bottom wall 2| of the vat when the apparatus is operated.

Preferably and as shown, the upper wall 20 of the vat will be inclinedfrom the upper edge of the front opening toward the rear and at such anangl that water particles and the like will not collect on the top wall,but will flow to the rear and down the rear wall of the vat. This is animportant feature in that it prevents water that has .been projectedonto the top wall from collecting on it and dripping down into the vatand onto the cleansed dishes either when left in I the vat or whenwithdrawn from it.

While .I have shown particular embodiments of my invention, it will beunderstood, of course, that Ido not wish to be .limited thereto sincemany modifications may be made, and I, therefore, contemplate by theappended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the truespirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. In dishwashing apparatus, a vat forming a washing chamber having afront opening therein defined in part by the side and top walls of thevat, a door for closing said opening arranged to swing on an axis at itslower edge, a flange extending inwardly from the side and top edges ofthe door, a member carried by the side and top walls of the vat andcooperating with them to define a channel that receives said flange whenthe door is closed, the outer portion of the said flange adjacent thedoor fitted relatively close to the side and top walls of the vat, andthe inner portion spaced farther from therein defined in part by theside and top walls of the vat, a door for closing said opening arrangedto swing on "an axis at its lower edge,

a flange extending inwardly from the side and top edges of the door, amember carried by the,

side and top walls of the vat and cooperating with them to define aU-shaped recess that receives said flange when the door is closed, theouter portion of the said flange adjacent the door fitted relativelyclose to the side and top walls of the vat, and the inner portion spacedfarther from said walls and close to the inner wall of the recess so asto define an open expansion chamber extending vertically at the twosides and across the top of the door, the portions of said expansionchamber at the sides of the door opening at their lower ends into thelower portion of said vat, and a resilient sealing member in said recessengaging the inner end of the flange.

3. In dishwashing apparatus, a vat forming a washing chamber having afront opening therein, a door for closing said opening arranged to swingon an axis at its lower edge, an elongated flange extending inwardlyfrom each of the side and top edges of the door, each flange beingformed into two portions, each of which is substantially parallel to thewall of said vat associated with it, the portion of each flange Iadjacent said door fitting relatively closely to said associated walland the inner portion removed from said door spaced iarther from saidwall than said portion adjacent said door, a

shoulder joining said two portions of each flange,

a member on said side and top wallsldeflning a channel into which saidinner portions of'said 5 said door for liquids forced from said 'vat.

FORREST A. WALKER;

